9754 Insects. 



them. This author further informs us that the young larva curves the 

 body upwards, often even supporting itself on the six thoracic legs 

 only: if ray conclusion is correct, this is also founded on a confusion 

 with Nematus, and can be readily accounted for on the same ground 

 as the former observation. All the rest exactly agrees with our own 

 observations. 



Reaumur also speaks of the body being held in the form of an S ; 

 speaking of the thoracic legs of the larvae, he says the latter may be 

 distinguished from caterpillars by having two claws on these members. 

 De Geer has shown that this was inaccurate, and that, instead of two 

 claws, it should have been one claw and a pad. Moreover, he is not 

 speaking exclusively of this particular species, but of sawflies in 

 general, so that the species he had before him is not easil}' to be dis- 

 covered. At all events, it is certain that the plates, especially the 

 enlarged figures, are by no means accurate. 



De Geer's description is excellent; he merely states, as regards the 

 position of the larvae, that they have a habit of keeping the end of the 

 body curved round underneath. He corrects Reaumur's statement as 

 to the claws of the thoracic legs. His figures are not very happy, 

 although recognizable. 



Bouche's observations are accurate and his descriptions clear. 

 Brischke has also some points of difference in his description, but 

 these can be easily accounted for as the effect of local variation or race : 

 he says the stigmata were black; I observed them to be white, with 

 two black spots at the sides; he gives the colour of the head after the 

 last moult as"grunlich oder hellbraun"; I always found it orange, 

 the same as all other describers. He also states that at the last change 

 of skin the black spot on the anal valve disappeared ; I observed the 

 contrary with my larvae. He also says, in contradiction to Reaumur 

 and Rosel, but in accordance with Boiiclie and myself, that the larva 

 curls tlie tail underneath. He makes a remarkable observation 

 respecting the little knobs immediately after moulting; he says that 

 they then have the appearance of large gray bladders, with numerous 

 black points on them ; and only gradually assume their true ap- 

 pearance. He has also distinctly observed two generations. 



In the description of this species in my ' Schadelijke Tuininsecten,' 

 written before I had had an opportunity of observing it myself, 1 have 

 repeated the mistakes made by Rosel. 



I have not reared any parasites from Hylotoma Rosae. 



